Meddling Mother
by Singing Violin
Summary: What does the Captain talk about for three minutes with her mother?


Title: Meddling Mother  
Series: Star Trek: Voyager  
Author: Singing Violin  
Rating: K  
Keywords: Janeway/Chakotay UST  
Time period: late Season 7, but before Endgame  
Summary: What does the Captain talk about for three minutes with her mother?  
Disclaimer: TPTB own them, but they didn't do what I wanted with them, so I'm borrowing them for a bit. I'll give them back when I'm done.  
Feedback: Yes please.  
Archiving: Anywhere.

Clasping the communications ration tightly in her hand, Captain Janeway tried to ease the butterflies in her stomach as she headed to Astrometrics. _Come on, Kathryn, you've faced the Kazon, the Hirogen, the Vidiians, the Borg…and you're still scared to talk to your own mother?_

Before she knew it, her mother's face was smiling down at her, ten times larger than life, on the screen in front of her. "Hello," Kathryn said, unsure of what else to say.

Her mother smiled at her. "It's good to see you again, Katie…have you gained weight?" Her mother leaned in closer, and her face seemed grotesquely large, an ogre waiting to eat her daughter alive.

Kathryn tried to change the subject, deliberately ignoring the criticism. "How's Phoebe?"

Her mother sat back and sighed. "She's fine…but she keeps telling me she doesn't want a family of her own. What about you, Katie? I'm not getting any younger…I could use some grandchildren."

Kathryn laughed, not realizing how serious her mother was. "I've been a little preoccupied here in the Delta Quadrant." Then she remembered. "Actually, I did have some…offspring…while I was here…"

"Oh?" Her mother raised an eyebrow. "How come you didn't mention them in your letters? And who is the father?"

Kathryn smiled to herself, remembering. "I'll answer the second question first. Lieutenant Tom Paris…" As her mother was about to interrupt, Kathryn raised a hand to stop her, "was the father, but he's expecting a child with my Chief Engineer, Lieutenant Torres, and they are very happy. I performed their wedding ceremony myself."

Her mother was aghast. "You mean to tell me your Lieutenant Paris fathered children…multiple children…with you and then abandoned you for another woman?"

"Please, Mother, let me finish," Kathryn said. "We didn't keep them."

"You what?" Her mother was appalled. "How could you?"

"Mother, they were…lizards. It's a very long story. I'll tell you when we get home. But suffice it to say, I'm sure they're content on the planet we left them on, and you're not missing anything."

Her mother raised an eyebrow. "I see. Then I take it you haven't had any…other children?"

"No, Mother, I haven't. I've got a few little adopted gems though…" She thought of Naomi, of Icheb and the Borg baby, her godson Q, and the baby B'Elanna was expecting any day now. Not to mention Seven…having Seven aboard was a lot like having a teenaged daughter.

"Have you at least had any torrid romances?" her mother pried, waggling her eyebrows and leaning forward again_. How can I feel so invaded by an image on a screen?_ Kathryn thought.

"Mother! That's none of your business!"

Her mother backed off slightly. "I know, I know…you don't want to talk about it."

There was an uncomfortable moment of silence. Then her mother spoke, "What about that cutie Chakotay?"

"Chakotay?!" Kathryn was appalled. "He's my first officer! I could never…"

"Oh come on, Katie," her mother prodded. "I can tell from what you said about him in your letters…he's crazy about you, and you…"

"Mother, stop!" _Now I know why I was afraid of this conversation_.

"And I have to tell you, dear, I never liked Mark."

"And you've never met Chakotay!" _Why am I even entertaining this line of questioning?_

Her mother was sheepish, but she kept on. "Well, I just want you to be happy, Katie."

Kathryn grumbled, "I _am_ happy."

"A mother always knows, Katie, and you're not happy! Besides…even if you are, I still want grandkids. Humanoid ones!"

Kathryn rolled her eyes. "I have to go, Mom. My time's almost up."

"All right, Katie, think about what I said! If your father were here, he'd tell you the same thing…"

She sighed heavily, knowing the only way to get her mother to back off was to acknowledge her argument. "I will!" she conceded.

"Oh, and I love you!" her mother added, almost as an afterthought.

"I love you too, Mom. I'll talk to you again soon."

The comm link terminated, and Captain Janeway found herself racing out of Astrometrics as if it were on fire.

In her haste, she ran straight into Harry Kim.

"Oh, excuse me!" she apologized, embarrassed.

"That's quite all right, Captain." Ensign Kim smiled.

They began walking side by side, and a brilliant idea struck her. "Harry, I heard about your broken link with your parents. How would you like another communications ration?"

Harry stopped in his tracks, and the captain stopped beside him.

"Captain?" he queried, incredulous, "are you offering me your next call?"

"You betcha," she answered enthusiastically.

"But what about you, Captain?"

She patted him on the back. "Oh, I don't think I'll be needing it, Ensign."

He nodded, knowing better than to ask any questions. "Thank you," he acknowledged sincerely, as she pressed the small rectilinear object into his palm with a smile.

"I'll see you on the bridge, Harry!" she called as she turned and walked down another corridor, leaving him baffled and stationary. It was almost as if she were trying to put as much distance between herself and that ration as possible…

Harry opened his hand and looked down at the chip, wondering if it were booby-trapped or defective, but it looked perfectly ordinary. He shrugged and continued down the hall.


End file.
